Will an acetone bath help this 1943 set?

I bought the 3 silver coins below together, years ago (I added the nickel and cent and put them in the holder).

They have ugly black toning, from what, I don't know. They came that way.

Would a bath in acetone help, do you think?

 

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It's unlikely to do anything. That looks like terminal toning, which is a black layer of silver sulfide, which won't come off without dipping (or electrolysis, or a grinding wheel). The surfaces underneath the black areas probably won't look right, because toning that dark is thick enough to disrupt luster.

On the other hand, acetone can't hurt anything (as long as you don't get it on the plastic!), and if that black stuff isn't toning acetone might take it off. But it looks like toning to me.

 

Toning. Nothing you can do. Here's my 1964 KHD> Same kind of toning.

 

Well said. I think it's toning and acetone will not help. I would not mess with the coins. Dipping the coins would take away some or all of the toning but I would worry that any luster the coin has left, will be gone.

 

Yea use the grinding wheel. It'll remove all of it

 

Acetone won’t help with that type of toning but a dip might. Be careful with the dip as over dipping can ruin a coin.

 

Toning is always going to be a problem
with coins of this type, in the past I have
used silver polish to fix tarnish on bars
and that’s done a great job but I wouldn’t recommend this on collector
coins.

 

Thanks for the replies. So it seems like dipping the coin is the only thing that might help. Except it might not.

I have acetone, but I've never dipped a coin before. Maybe this would be a good test. What product do I use?

 

If you have not used this product before it will be wise of you to do some experimentation first. As in diluting the mixture.
It is my opinion that removal of black silver tarnish can make a coin look worse than the black toning does.


I would sell that coin set as is, and then purchase a better one, in my opinion, its the only way you will have a better set of coins.

 

That is good advice.

 

OK, no EZest for the copper or copper nickel. I would suggest ammonia (white) diluted 1:1 with water and let it sit and then tamp with soft Q tip - no rubbing, and then rinse thoroughly with water and then tamp dry with high nap clean white cotton towel. I would be glad to show you but am in the DC Metro area.

 

Your way to helpful

 

Gave him a best answer

 

There are many times that MS70 used correctly will remove some of the darkness in the toning. It definitely is not strong enough to remove the sulfides.. Might be worth a shot.
Otherwise heavily dilute the dip or use the baking soda aluminum foil method.

 

Ah yes, one of my other "go to" methods....

 

Damn - $9.99 a bottle at Wizard and I just placed an order 4 days ago. Oh well - I'll grab a bottle next time around.

EDIT: Nevermind, it's currently out of stock anyway (they do have the larger bottle).

 

When you say, "They came that way" I'm assuming you acquired the entire plastic holder with the coins already in it. The contamination looks like it is from the plastic and progressed from the Half, moving to the dime. Acetone can't hurt, but get them out of that plastic ASAP.

 

Oh come on, a grinding wheel would destroy the coin... A wire brush is all you need

 

No, the plastic case was bought within the last 5 years from wizard. The half/quarter/dime were bought about 20 years ago and they looked like that when I got them. The other coins I added to complete the year set. They had a similar look.

 

It is specific to the coin, a bottle should last you a good 50 coins, even a hundred.